August 05, 2013

Study: Democrats more often the butt of late night jokes

With President Obama poised to appear on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno this week, a new survey of political humor shows late night talk show hosts are taking more aim at Democrats than Republicans this year.

That's a reverse from the Center for Media and Public Affair's earlier finding that Republicans were more often
the butt of jokes during the 2012 presidential election. According to center president
and George Mason University Professor Robert Lichter, "Where scandals go,
latenight comedians follow. These days that means they're following the
Democrats."

From Jan. 1 to June 30, the center analyzed the targets of
all jokes about public figures in the opening monologues of Jay Leno, David Letterman, Craig
Ferguson, Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel.

Democrats were the target of 713 jokes in the first half of 2013 -- or 70 percent more than the 417 jokes about Republicans. President Barack Obama was the butt of 288 jokes, over
twice as many as anyone else.

Democrats would still lead even with Obama excluded. New York mayoral candidate Anthony
Weiner finished second with 120 jokes, though the study period predated recent
reports that he continued "sexting" long after he left office. The
only Republicans on the top 10 list were former president George W. Bush -- at
84 jokes -- and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie at 71.

Obama will tape Leno's show on Tuesday. Here's a sample the survey counted as a Leno-Obama barb: "A lot of critics are now comparing President Obama to
President Nixon. The good news for Obama? At least he's no longer being
compared to President Carter."